Introducing Liverpool Experience Campus: A Bold New Chapter on the Waterfront

Back in 2008, we opened our convention centre and arena on Liverpool’s iconic waterfront with a fanfare (and a giant spider). Later, in 2015, we expanded and along came Exhibition Centre Liverpool and the Pullman Liverpool Hotel, creating a flexible, multi-venue campus capable of hosting everything from international conferences and exhibitions to world-class live entertainment. From that growth, the ACC Liverpool Group brand was launched.

Nearly two decades on, we asked ourselves an important question:

Is our brand working as hard as we are?

As we continue to compete on a global stage, we recognised that our brand structure wasn’t fully reflecting who we are today, the scale of our ambition, or the breadth of what we offer.

We undertook a comprehensive brand audit to understand whether our identity and architecture were fit for purpose. The findings were clear, while we are highly regarded our group brand wasn’t cutting through strongly enough across our markets. At times we were finding it difficult to tell our story in a coherent and compelling way.

And that was the turning point.

Because we’re not a single venue, we’re a campus of brands. A collection of experiences. A connected ecosystem. But that wasn’t always obvious to our audiences.

To move forward, we needed:

· A stronger approach to placemaking - expressing our multi-venue site and creating a clearer, more purposeful sense of arrival.

· Greater coherence across our venues and portfolio so our full offer is easy to understand and navigate.

· A more powerful way to tell our story, with deeper links to our city region.

· A stronger emotional connection with clients, delegates and visitors.

· A clearer expression of our expertise and experience, instilling confidence at every touchpoint.

What our research told us

We spoke to clients, stakeholders and colleagues to understand current perceptions. Some themes came through loud and clear.

People love Liverpool.

Our location on the historic waterfront, at the heart of the city, is a huge asset. The character, warmth and distinctiveness of the city region is something clients and delegates genuinely value.

We are seen as a trusted partner and collaborator. Our experience, customer service and expertise matter. Our engaged network across the Liverpool City Region is a real differentiator. And our commitment to social value and positive impact stands out.

Our flexible, multi-venue campus is a strength, but the full depth and breadth of what we do wasn’t always clearly expressed.

In short, we had a great story. We just weren’t telling it as powerfully as we could.

More than a new look

When we talk about brand, we’re not just talking about logos, colours or creative assets.

A brand identity is what you say and how you say it, your values and what you want people to feel when they interact with you.

It’s the personality of your organisation and a promise to your customers.

A strong brand has clarity. It understands its audience. It knows its mission and values. It tells its story consistently and distinctively. And most importantly, it guides behaviour.

That’s what we set out to build.

Building a brand platform for the future

From the audit and research, we developed a new brand platform with a clear set of jobs to do:

Clarify who we are and what we stand for - giving us both focus and breadth across everything we deliver.
Be born from the unique spirit of Liverpool - our city is a genuine differentiator, as is our public ownership and the values that come with it.
Create a resonant emotional connection - tapping into the power of live, in-person experiences.
Act as a driver for action - not just shaping our storytelling, but influencing how we design experiences and make decisions.

Ultimately, we want to be known for delivering memorable experiences, regardless of audience, event type or venue.

And this is just the beginning…

We’ve recently announced our new name, Liverpool Experience Campus - a significant milestone in this journey - and the response so far has been incredibly encouraging.

But that’s only the first step.

Our new name will be effective from 13 April, when we’ll be unveiling the full brand - our new visual identity, voice, positioning and creative expression - bringing our platform to life in a bold and distinctive way. This is more than a reveal, it’s about setting the tone for the next chapter of our story.

We can’t wait to share what’s coming next.

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